Love

WHY CHRISTMAS? LOVE.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us” 1 John 4:7-12.

Christ appeared to give us eternal life, freedom and victory. But above it all, God sent His son to demonstrate His love for us. This good news is for everyone (Luke 2:10).

The world has come up with many popular definitions of love. Noted poet, Robert Frost defines love as a desire to be irresistibly desired; Philosopher Plato defined love as a desire for the perpetual possession of the good. However, real love is from God and not from the world (1 John 4:7).

Only those who have been borne of God are capable of loving others the way God loves. Every part of God’s being is love. In fact, the bible clearly states that God Himself is love (1 John 4:8).

God did not only define love; God demonstrated His love for us.

“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” 1 John 4:9 .

In His love, God sent His only begotten Son to become man. He showed Himself tempted and yet had no sin. He offered Himself to die on the cross to free us.

GOD’S DEMONTRATION OF LOVE.

1. God made a decision to love us.
   

   “ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins” 1 John 4:10.
   
   “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:8.
   

   Before we became Christians, we did not honor God with our words or with our actions and yet, God already loved us. He loved us even before we lived changed lives. He loved us even when we were sinners and unworthy of His love.
   
   
2. God freely gives his love to us.
   

   “This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him” 1John 4:9.
   

   In the ancient days, ancient Israelites and Canaanites worshipped a sun god named Molech, to whom sacrifices of humans, including children, are offered. Our God chose to give Himself freely as a sacrifice so that we may live through Him.
   

   “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” Isaiah 9:6.
   

WHY CHRISTMAS? BECAUSE OF GOD’S LOVE.

One of the attributes of Jesus Christ is that He is the Prince of Peace. We can never have peace if we are incapable of loving others in the same way that Christ loved us.**

Victory

WHY CHRISTMAS? VICTORY.

“He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.” 1 John 3:8

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1

According to the bible, the devil has been sinning from the beginning. In Genesis 3, satan tempted Adam and Eve to disobey God and to desire to be independent of Him. Adam and Eve chose to be independent of God which resulted in every man being borne to sin.

The bible also states that war has been declared against the devil from the beginning of time (Genesis 3:15). This is the reason why we perpetually find ourselves fighting against the temptation to sin.

The good news is that Jesus Christ has already won the victory for us on the cross.

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war.

His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God” Revelations 19:11-13.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” John 1:1.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us” John 1:14.

The apostle John who wrote both the books of Revelation and the book of John referred to Jesus Christ as the “Word of God” who won the victory for us.

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” Colossians 2:15.

Victory has already been won for us in the past by the cross. You and I have the victory of Christ because Jesus won over the devil by the cross.

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” Isaiah 9:6.

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you” Romans 16:20.

“Merry Christmas!” is more than just a greeting, it is a declaration of war. We are declaring that we can celebrate, not only because Jesus was born, but because He came to give us victory by the cross.

THE VICTORY WE HAVE IN CHRIST.

1. When Jesus Christ comes in the life of a Christian, he is a free man.
   The bible says that the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. He steals our joy, hope, faith and the Word of God in our hearts; He kills our dreams and our visions; He destroys marriages, families and finances. Jesus came to destroy the enemy.
   

   “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” John 10:10.

2. The Christian has the power and authority over the enemy.
   

   “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven" Matthew 16:19
   

   The devil’s weapons are temptation, deception, condemnation and accusation. We do not have to fear the devil nor fall for his traps because Jesus has given us the authority against him and his schemes.
   
   
3. The devil cannot come near the Christian because of the Presence of God.
   When a Christian spends more time with God and nurtures his relationship with him, the devil cannot come near him because the Presence of God protects him.

WHY CHRISTMAS? WE CAN CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS BECAUSE JESUS WON THE VICTORY.**

Freedom

WHY CHRISTMAS? Series: Freedom.

Gift giving is the most significant event that happens during Christmas season. In Bethlehem, in the first Christmas, gift giving was also done.

In the birth of Christ, Magi came to visit him and offer their gifts of gold, frankincense (a gift given to acknowledge deity) and myrrh (symbolizing that the present King will give up His life to save His people).

History recalls that the Jews suffered so much affliction that they anticipated the coming of the mighty King, a royalty, who would redeem them from their suffering. Jesus Christ, unlike how the Jews expected, was born quietly in Bethlehem with only hay for His bed, and among commoners such as the shepherds and magi.

“But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him” 1 John 3:5-6.

“But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins'" Matthew 1:20-21.

Jesus was the most significant gift that was given in Bethlehem. He was God’s gift to us so that when we accept Him as Lord and Savior, we have the gift of Freedom. In Him, we have freedom from sin (John 8:36), freedom from bondages of destructive habits (Romans 12:2) and the freedom from the consequences of sin: guilt, fear, shame, bitterness and offenses (Romans 6:23). We now have the freedom to live a full life.

FREEDOM WE HAVE IN CHRIST:

1. Freedom to believe. With Christ, we have the freedom to believe for His will in our lives.
   

   “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will” Romans 12:2.

2. Freedom to give. We give because He gave first (1 John 4:19).
   

   “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" Luke 6:38.

3. Freedom to live. With Jesus, we have the freedom to live an abundant life. With Christ, in whatever circumstances we are in, we have peace.
   

   “For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ” Romans 5:17.

JESUS CAME TO SET US FREE. Our relationship with God is not about the do's and don’ts but about the freedom with Jesus Christ on the basis of the blood He shed on the cross. We are free to live lives pleasing to Him.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death” Romans 8:1-2.**

Eternal Life

WHY CHRISTMAS? Series: Eternal Life.

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete” 1 John 1:1-4.

What excites you on Christmas? Many people find Christmas a source of excitement because of the many activities such as gift-giving, reunions and so forth that come with it, but to others, they see Christmas a burden more than a joy because of all the expenses that they anticipate for the season. But what is the real purpose of Christmas and why do we celebrate it?

“But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people” Luke 2:10.

The birth of Jesus Christ is the ultimate reason why we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Many people miss the real purpose of Christmas because they see Christmas as impersonal, however, the book of Luke says that Christmas is personal, positive and is for everyone. Jesus came to give us eternal life.

3 PROCLAMATIONS OF JOHN.

1. By faith, we believe that He is the Word of life.
   

   “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” John 1:1.

   God became flesh through Jesus Christ to deliver the message of His love personally (John 3:16).
   
   John says in the scriptures that they have “seen, heard, and touched” the Word of life that they are testifying about. Jesus is the real deal!
   
   
2. Eternal life.
   We can experience eternal life here on earth. With Jesus, we can experience real life that He has for us: A life of freedom, victory and love. The season may come and go, but if we do not experience real life in Jesus Christ amidst the gift-giving, reunions and all others that have been added to Christmas, we miss its real meaning.
   

   “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” John 17:3.
   
   “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” 1 John 5:13.
   

3. Fellowship with the Father and son.
   Even if Jesus is no longer among us in the physical, we can still experience Him through a personal relationship. We can still sense Him. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
   

“Taste and see that the LORD is good” Psalm 34:8.

Why Christmas? We celebrate Christmas because Jesus Christ came for us to give us eternal life. We can respond by experiencing and proclaiming the life of Christ to others. Does this eternal life you have attracting other people?**

Psalm 51

MOST DOWNLOADED PSALMS: Psalm 51.

Read Psalm 51.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you” Psalm 51:10-13.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” Psalm 51:1

Psalm 51 was a psalm written by David. David was a man of God, anointed king of Israel. God blessed him in everything that he did. But David was not a perfect man. David wrote Psalm 51 in repentance for having failed God and was seeking His forgiveness.

“In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king's men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem” 2 Samuel 11:1.

Instead of going to war when he should have, David decided to stay behind. One evening, while he was walking around the roof, he saw Bathsheba, the wife of one of his best soldiers, bathing. Attracted, hcde summoned for her. Bathsheba became pregnant with David’s child.

Instead of repenting of his ways, David schemed to escape his sin.

• David called Uriah home so he can sleep with his wife. But Uriah was a good soldier and stayed at the palace entrance with all his master’s servants (2 Samuel 11:6-11).
  
  
• David got Uriah drunk, still, Uriah stayed at the palace entrance and did not go home (2 Samuel 11:12-13).
  
  
• David set Uriah up to be killed. He, then, married Bathsheba after Uriah was killed in war and the period of mourning was over (2 Samuel 11:14-17; 26-27).

A mistake cannot be corrected by another mistake. People tend to think of ways to make wrong things seem right.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death” Proverbs 14:12.

LESSONS TO LEARN FROM DAVID’S EXPERIENCE.

1. If we are not where God wants us to be, we are falling into the enemy’s trap to sin. Sin has its grave repercussions. (2 Samuel 11:24; 2 Samuel 12:14-15).
   
   
2. God sets up relationships in our lives to correct us, rebuke us, and put us back in line. David was the highest man in the land and yet he chose to listen to Nathan, the prophet (2 Samuel 12:1-13; Ecclesiastes 4:10).
   
   
3. When David repented, he confessed to God.

“Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge” Psalm 51:4.

David did not want God’s presence to be away from him. We repent because we don’t want to be away from God. Repentance brings restoration and reconciliation. God knows that we will fail. From time to time, we may fail, but it is not about us. It is about God’s love for us that provides for us the way to reconcile with Him through repentance and His forgiveness.

THE PATH TO WHOLENESS IS BROKENNESS.
David broke 5 out of 10 of the Commandments of God: He lied, he stole, he coveted his neighbor’s wife, he committed murder and he committed adultery, and yet in the book of Acts, he was mentioned as “a man after God’s own heart” and one who served his purpose in his generation (Acts 13:22; 26). David’s repentance and seeking of God’s forgiveness allowed God’s reversal in his life. Our moments of weakness may become the source of strength for other people.

“Then David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD .’ Nathan replied, ‘The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die’” 2 Samuel 12:13.

“Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you” Psalm 51:13.**

Psalm 119

MOST DOWNLOADED PSALMS: Psalm 119.

What gets your attention nowadays? In our technologically-advanced world, the cellular phone has become a very important communication tool that a person can own. People pause from whatever it is that they are doing to check on their text messages whenever it would sound off. We give importance to the messages on our mobile phones because we know that the messages are personal, current and relevant.

God has provided a message for us everyday through the scriptures, however, we tend to ignore them because of our misconception that the bible is impersonal, untimely and irrelevant. The word of God says otherwise:

• The Word of God is personal. He knows you from the inside out (Psalm 139:1-3) and he has plans for you (Jeremiah 29:11).
  
  
• God’s word is always timely. He knows what we are going through.
  
  
• God’s word is always relevant. God knows our needs (Matthew 6:8) and our pains.
  

“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path” Psalm 119:97-104.

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the bible. It has 22 sections with 8 verses each. In all these sections, David has one major focus: The Word of God.

David was the king of Israel. He was a busy man and yet, he took time to meditate on the word of God (Psalm 119:97). He loved the scriptures more than food (Psalm 119:103).

If we give enough time to read God’s messages through His word, our lives will never be the same. We will deal with business differently, we will raise our children differently and we will deal with morality and ethics differently. We will be wiser than our years if we know the word (Psalm 119:98-99).

THREE WAYS TO GROW IN THE WORD:

1. DESIRE. Desire is defined as an inclination to want things. We will do anything in our power to get the things that we desire. We will make time for the things that we want to do. Everything starts with a desire. Our growth in the word starts with a desire to read and meditate on it.
   
   
2. DISCIPLINE. Discipline does not begin naturally. We need to find a good bible reading plan that will work for us. We can start with 10-15 minutes a day of consistently reading the bible. We need to find a place where we can be alone with God, away from our laptops and our mobile phones.
   

   “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” Hebrews 12:11.
   

3. DELIGHT. We take delight in the Word of God when there is no longer any struggle involved in finding time to read and meditate on it.

READ YOUR BIBLE (RYB) because you will benefit from it. Jesus is the embodiment of the scriptures. The more you read the word, the more you will know Him and understand His will.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” John 1:1.

**

Psalm 23

MOST DOWNLOADED PSALMS: Psalm 23.

The book of Psalms is a collection of songs that covers almost every area of human experience and emotion: Fear, confidence, anger, sorrow, praises, crying for help, worship, celebration, or brokenness.

Nowadays, musicians and songwriters alike are considered modern-day philosophers. Songs are considered powerful as listeners are moved by the messages in them.

Psalm 23 was a song written by David 300 years ago. It is a song that still resounds in the hearts of people until now.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD.

A shepherd is one who tends to a flock of sheep. He cares for them, feeds them, guides them, protects them and fights for them. David speaks of God as his shepherd. He speaks of it as someone who is intimate with the Father, one who has a deep and personal relationship with Him. He refers to God in the present tense, indicating that God is always in existence and is always concerned about our present mundane and/or complex concerns.

Just as God is David’s shepherd, so is He ours as well. He stays with us, holds us by the hand, and leads us to safety:

1. He gives us PEACE
   

   “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters” (v. 2).

   God is the one who leads us to greener pastures, we do not need to look for it.
   The sheep, by nature, are afraid of running water because they will drift away with the moving water. David tells of God leading his children to peaceful, quiet waters where we do not need to strive.
   
   
2. He is our RESTORER.
   

   “he restores my soul” (v. 3).

   When God restores us, he makes us better than before.
   
   
3. He is our PROTECTOR.
   

   “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (v. 4).

   God is always concerned about our protection. Every person goes through a season of fear. Many times, we fear because we think that we are alone. The bible says that no weapon formed against us will prosper because we are with Him (Isaiah 54:17).
   
   Shepherds used their rods to fight off wolves and other animals that would try to attack the sheep and they use the staff to lead them back when they stray. The hook at the end is used to redeem the sheep that had fallen into pits. In the same way, God protects us from harm and would discipline us when we are running astray to protect us from getting hurt. He also brings us back up to our feet when we have fallen.
   
   
4. He gives us VICTORY.
   

   “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows” (v.5).

   God is the one who moves on our behalf against our enemies. He vindicates us (2 Chronicles 7-8; Romans 12:19). He also gives us victory over sicknesses and abundantly provides for us.
   
   
5. He is our SECURITY.
   

   “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (v. 6).

   Many people invest in many things because they want security. David speaks of God as his security. He also reveals of our destiny with God when we will dwell with Him whose presence makes it all beautiful.
   
   The bible says that the LORD blesses His people that we can be a blessing to others (Genesis 12:1-4a).

There was once a Shakespearean actor who was known to give excellent performances. At the end of his acts, he would recite Psalm 23 for which he would receive thunderous applause and a standing ovation every time. In one of his performances, right before he could conclude the show with his usual routine, a young lad came up and requested to be the one to recite the verses. Taken by surprise, the actor stepped back and turned the stage over to him. The lad simply and without any thespian expertise, opened the bible and read the verses. There was no thunderous applause, no standing ovation when he finished. But when the actor looked over to the audience, he saw tears welling in their eyes. Prompted by his curiosity and possibly, his ego, the actor inquired of the lad: “I’ve done this many times but I have never made that kind of impact to my audience. How did you do it?” to which the young boy replied, “sir, with all due respect, you know all the words of Psalm 23 and have memorized every line, but I know the Shepherd.”

God is a personal God. He knows the numbers of hair in our heads (Luke 12:7), and He knows each of us by name (Isaiah 43:1). We, his children, must know who our shepherd is for our Shepherd is more than enough.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27.**

Faith

What is faith? The scriptures say that faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1). It also says that it doesn’t take that much faith to move mountains (Matthew 17:20). We mix faith with prayer. There are days when, even before we pray and ask God for something, the answer is already there, but there are seasons when it takes a while for our prayers to be answered (Read John 5:1-15).

Many of us, in our faith, ask God why others are blessed and we are not. What is our faith dependent on? Where do we put our faith in? Who is the object of our faith?

(Read 2 Corinthians 4:8-16).

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day” 2 Corinthians 4:16.

The apostle Paul was encouraging the church of Corinth in these verses by letting them know that he, too, is experiencing hardships and tough times just as they are, and that the main thing is for them not to lose heart. The heart is the essence of all things. It is the command center of life.

“Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life” Proverbs 4:23.

We need regularly keep our hearts in check. Many times, as Christians, we are not aware of the condition of our hearts. It is important to sustain our faith even when we go through the most difficult times in our lives.

HOW TO DEVELOP SUSTAINING FAITH:

1. Use our Ears.
   

   “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” Revelation 2:7.
   
   “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” John 10:27.
   

   Our ears can be trained to listen to the sound that we want to hear, just as we are able to let our activities and circumstances drown out the voice of God.
   
   Are there certain activities in our lives that drown out the voice of God?
   
   Jesus should embody the truth in our hearts and no matter what the facts seem to tell us, it is only a facet and not the final outcome of our lives.
   
   
2. Hear the voice of God through His word.
   

   “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” Romans 10:17.
   
   “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-­edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” Hebrews 4:12.
   
   “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” Psalm 119:1.
   
   “ Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” Psalm 119:1.

   
   We must be cautious in what we hear. We must develop a hunger for the Word of God. We must listen, meditate, ponder and reflect on the word of God daily until it becomes a natural part of us. Only when the living word of God impacts our hearts that we can have changed lives for it is the only solid thing we can stand on in any situation in our lives.
   

   “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” Matthew 24:35.
   

   
   
3. Guard our hearts.
   

   “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” Proverbs 4:23.
   
   “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure” Jeremiah 17:9.
   
   “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks” Luke 6:45.

   
   There are areas in our hearts that we need to guard against such as bitterness and offense. How do we respond to an offense? How do we respond to trials and blessings?
   
   Both trials and blessings can be a test of our faith. We need to constantly and consistently check our hearts.

Faith is a matter of the heart. We must be on guard on everything. We must guard our ears and be aware of what we are hearing. We must continually fix our eyes on Jesus and lay our hearts to Him. We start with Jesus as the object of our faith, and end with Jesus as its author and finisher (Hebrews 12:2).

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” 2 Corinthians 4:17.**